Overview of The Shawn Ryan Show — #337 Cardinal Burke: The Old Testament
In this episode, Shawn Ryan speaks with Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke about the Old Testament as the foundation of Christian faith, its role as covenant history, and how it points toward Jesus Christ and the New Covenant. The conversation blends theology, biblical history, Catholic teaching, and personal discussion about spiritual warfare, suffering, prayer, and the importance of staying close to Christ through the sacraments, Scripture, and family life.
Key Themes Discussed
Spiritual warfare and suffering
- Shawn opens up about frightening experiences he believes may be spiritual attacks, including visions, nightmares, unusual activity in the house, and multiple exorcisms.
- Cardinal Burke frames these experiences as part of the broader Christian struggle against evil.
- He emphasizes that the devil’s main tactics are fear, discouragement, distraction, and lies.
- His counsel: perseverance, prayer, confession, the Eucharist, and trust in Christ.
The Bible as God’s word
- Burke defines the Bible as God’s word expressed through human authors.
- He stresses that Scripture is sacred, internally unified, and ultimately fulfilled in Jesus.
- He encourages daily engagement with Scripture, especially the Gospels, which directly reveal Christ.
The Old Testament as covenant history
- Burke explains that “testament” means covenant.
- The Old Testament is presented as a progression of covenants God makes and renews with humanity:
- Adam and Eve
- Noah
- Abraham
- Moses
- David
- Each covenant deepens the promise that God will save humanity, culminating in Christ.
Major Biblical Points Covered
Creation, Adam and Eve, and Genesis 3:15
- Burke describes the creation account as showing that human beings are made in God’s image and likeness.
- He highlights Genesis 3:15 as the first promise of redemption:
- the offspring of the woman will crush the serpent.
- He connects this directly to:
- the Incarnation,
- the Blessed Virgin Mary,
- and Christ’s victory over Satan.
Noah and the Flood
- Noah is presented as the righteous man who remains faithful when society has become corrupt.
- Burke says the flood reflects both:
- judgment on sin, and
- preservation of what is good.
- He also ties the story to the natural law: the moral order written on the human heart.
Abraham and the chosen people
- Abraham is discussed as the father of faith and the beginning of the chosen people.
- Burke emphasizes:
- Abraham’s trust in God despite impossible circumstances,
- the promise of descendants,
- and the sacrifice of Isaac as a foreshadowing of Christ.
- He also notes that Christians see themselves as heirs of Abraham’s faith.
Moses, the Exodus, and the Ten Commandments
- Burke retells the Exodus:
- slavery in Egypt,
- the plagues,
- the Passover lamb,
- the crossing of the Red Sea,
- and the giving of the Ten Commandments at Sinai.
- He explains the Commandments as the moral structure of life:
- duty toward God,
- duty toward family and society,
- and duty toward truth, purity, and justice.
- He says Christ does not abolish the Commandments but fulfills them.
David and the messianic kingdom
- David is presented as the king through whom God promises an eternal ruler.
- Burke notes David’s sin and repentance, using him to show both human weakness and God’s mercy.
- Christ is described as the fulfillment of the Davidic promise.
The Passover lamb and the Eucharist
- The blood of the Passover lamb is interpreted as a foreshadowing of Christ’s saving blood.
- Burke connects this directly to the Eucharist, where Christians receive Christ’s body and blood.
- The Exodus becomes a pattern of salvation:
- blood,
- deliverance,
- journey,
- and entry into the promised land.
Catholic Teaching Emphasized
The role of the Church
- Burke explains that the canon of Scripture was recognized and preserved by the Church.
- He also discusses the difference between the Catholic and Protestant Old Testament:
- the Catholic canon includes the deuterocanonical books such as Tobit and 1–2 Maccabees.
The importance of the sacraments
- He repeatedly highlights:
- the Eucharist as Christ’s real presence and a source of peace,
- confession as reconciliation and a fresh beginning,
- and the Church as the place where God continues to act.
The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Mary is presented as central to salvation history:
- the woman of Genesis 3:15,
- the one who says “yes” at the Annunciation,
- and the mother given to the Church at the Cross.
- Burke also clarifies a Catholic point: Mary was truly married to Joseph, but their marriage was virginal.
Notable Clarifications and Answers
Science and the Bible
- Burke says Scripture and true science cannot ultimately conflict.
- He argues Genesis should not be read as a scientific textbook, but as revealed truth about creation’s meaning and origin.
- He rejects the idea that evolution, in itself, disproves the Bible, while stressing that human beings are uniquely created with intellect and will.
Why the Old Testament can seem harsh
- Burke says the difference between the Old and New Testaments is not that God changed, but that history was still moving toward the fullness of revelation in Christ.
- The Old Testament reflects God preparing a stubborn people for the Savior.
On contemporary moral confusion
- Burke draws parallels between biblical moral disorder and modern issues such as:
- atheistic materialism,
- sexual immorality,
- and transgender ideology.
- He argues these are contrary to the natural law and God’s design for human beings as male and female.
Main Takeaways
- The Old Testament is a preparation for Christ, not a separate story.
- God’s covenants show a consistent pattern of mercy, correction, and promise.
- The Bible’s central message is salvation through Jesus Christ.
- Spiritual struggle is real, but Christians are called to respond with:
- prayer,
- sacraments,
- courage,
- and fidelity to God’s law.
- The family, the Church, and the Eucharist are presented as key sources of stability and holiness.
Closing Note
The episode ends with a prayer and a commitment to continue the series by moving into the New Testament. Burke’s overall message is simple and consistent: read Scripture, trust God’s covenant, and let the Old Testament lead you to Christ.